Dispenser



Jan 13, 1942 G. H. PAcKwooD, JR 2,269,782

DISPENSER Filed Feb. l2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l E' a 4 y fw. H 1' L L 4-[l 5 f 5g /9\ le? 3 7@ /74 7 v 'I Y 7 Il /25 'I7 /99 Z9 I 7 I Y f//s#Tram/fri Jan. 13, 1942. G. H. PAcKwooD, JR

DISPENSER Filed Feb. 12, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 13, 1942UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSER George H. Packwood, Jr., St.Louis, Mo. Application February 12, 1938, Serial No. 190,179

9 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensers for powdered soap or other finelydivided materials. The principal objects of the invention Aare toprovide a simple, economical and easily operable dewce that provides fora free discharge of the material without mechanical agitation, that canbe easily inspected, repaired and refilled, that will protect thecontents of the dispenser from water or vapor, that can be readilyadjusted to vary the quantity of material discharged, that can be lockedso that the contents thereof can only be removed by the normaldispensing operation and that will embody other advantages hereinafterappearing. The invention consists in the dispenser and in theconstruction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification andwherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical sectionof a dispenser embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the lower portion of the dispenseron the line 2-2 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the dispenser with the upper section removed,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the upper portion of thecontainer on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the rotary soap dispensing mechanism,

Fig. 6 is a face view of the intermediate adjusting disk; and

Fig. 'l is a view similar to Fig. 5 with the dispensing mechanismadjusted to cut down the size of the discharge openings.

The dispenser shown in the accompanying drawings comprises a hollowmaterial containing upper section I supported on a hollow base ordispensing section 2 and having a screened filling opening at its upperend closed by a hinged cover 3. Mounted for limited vertical slidingmovement in a central opening provided therefor in the cover 3is a stud4 having a threaded lower end portion adapted to cooperate with athreaded hole provided therefor in a strap 5 that spans said opening andhas its ends rigidly secured to the side walls of the container I. Thisstud has a atsided upper end portion 4a that terminates short of theupper end of the cover 3 and is adapted to be rotated by a suitable key(not shown) `to cause the threaded lower end of said stud to enter thehole in the strap` 5 and thus lock the cover in closed position.

'cured to the base section preferably by means of a screw 8 whichextends through a hole in the side wall of the base section just belowthe outer wall of the container section and is threaded into the innerwall thereof.

The base section 2 of the dispenser is supported on an adjustable wallbracket comprising a base plate 9 adapted to be secured flatwise to thewall and a link Ill having one end pivotally secured by a screw II to anoutstanding lug I2 on said base plate and its other end pivotallysecured by a screw I3 to an outstanding lug I4 on the' side wall of saidbase section. By this arrangement, the dispenser may be adjustedvertically and at various distances from the wall by swinging the linkI0 relative to the base plate 9; and the vertical position of thedispenser may be maintained by swinging the same about the screw I3 as apivot. The dispenser is locked in the desired position of adjustment bytightening the screws II and I3, suitable friction washers I5 beinginterposed between the link and the lugs.

Seated on the interior ledge 1 of the base section 2 of the dispenser isa dispensing valve which normally closes the opening in the bottom ofthe upper container section I. This Valve comprises top, bottom andintermediate disks I6, I1 and I8, respectively, of the same diameterthat are held together by means of a headed stud I9, which extendsdownwardly through a central hole provided therefor in the top disk I6and has a reduced threaded lower end portion I9a that passes through acentral hole in the intermediate disk l8 and is threaded through acentral hole in the bottom disk I'I. When the stud I9 is tightened, itprevents relative rotary movement of the bot- 2 tom and intermediatedisks, while permitting rotary movement of the top disk relative to saidbottom and intermediate disks. The bottom disk I'I has diametricallyopposed outstanding lugs Ila thereon that seat in recesses 1a providedtherefor in the container ,supporting ledge 1 of the base section andthus prevent rotation of said disk in said section. The superimposed`disks I5, I1 and I8 of the dispensing valve are providedin theirperipheral marginal portion withv similarv series of circumferentiallyspaced holes 2 I, 22 and- 23, respectively, the holes of theintermediate and bottom disks being always in communication and theholes of the top disk being normally out of register with the holes ofsaid intermediate and bottom disks so as to prevent flow of materialthrough said holes.

The upper disk is rotated to bring its openings into register with thecommunicating openings in the two disks therebelow by means of a thumboperated arm 24 that is located exteriorly of the dispenser and is fixedto a horizontal rock shaft 25 that extends crosswise of the base sectionwith its ends journaled in the side walls thereof just below the valvesupporting ledge therein. This horizontal rock shaft is provided with aradially projecting cylindrical pin 25, which extends upwardly throughan elongated slot 2T provided therefor in the bottom disk II of thevalve and has a working rlt in a circular hole 28 provided therefor inthe rotary top disk I6, whereby the swinging movement imparted to saidpin upon rotation of th'e rock shaft causes said top disk to rotate farenough' to bring the openings 2| therein into register with thecommunicating holes 22 and 23 in the bottom and intermediate disks. Therotary top disk is yieldably held in cut-off position by means of acoiled torsion spring 29 that is sleeved on the rock shaft 25 with oneend anchored thereto and with the other end anchored to a pin 3G thatprojects inwardly from the side wall of the base section 2. The openingand closing movements of the rotary disk valve I6 are limited by theengagement of the pin 25 with the ends of the arcuate slot 21 in thedisk II. In order to prevent bending or breakage of the pin 26 byexcessive pressure on the arm 24, a stop pin 3I is mounted on the basesection in position to be engaged by said arm 24 when the holes 2| inthe rotary top disk I6 are in line with the discharge h'oles 22 in thebottom disk I'I.

As shown in the drawings, the lower and intermediate disks have portionsthereof cut away; as at 32, to save material and to reduce weight andalso to reduce the surface area of the parts in contact, these cut awayportions forming hub and rim portions connected by spokes. The area offrictional contact between the top and intermediate disks is furtherreduced by offsetting upwardly, as at 33, the portion 0f the top disk .t

located inwardly of th'e circumferentially spaced holes 2I therein.rIihis upwardly offset portion of the top disk is highest at the axisthereof and gradually diminishes in height towards the plane of theouter marginal portion thereof. The upper or container section I of thedispenser has downwardly diverging side walls, and the lower or basesection 2 has downwardly converging side walls, the lower end of saidbase section being left open to permit the material to passtherethrough.

In order to dispense the material contained in the closed container I ofthe dispenser, the rock shaft 25 is actuated by means of the thumb piece24 with the one or both hands of the operator held in cupped positionbelow the relatively large opening in the lower end of th'e base section2. Rotation of the rock shaft imparts a swinging movement to the pin 2t,which rotates the top disk or valve I6 far enough against the tension ofthe spring 29 to bring the circumferentially spaced holes 2| in saiddisk into register with the communicating holes 22 and23 inthe fixedbottom and intermediate disks Il and I8, respectively, therebypermitting the r powder to ow through said holes and drop through thebottom opening in the base member into the hands of the operator. Uponrelease of the thumb piece 24 the coil torsion spring 29 returns therotary disk valve IB to closed position, thus cutting off the flow ofthe powder through the discharge openings 22 and 23.

Th'e hereinbefore described dispenser has numerous advantages. Thedispenser may be readily disassembled for inspection, repair andadjustment merely by separating the top section from the base sectionand by lifting the three valve disks as a unit out of said base section.The size of the discharge openings formed by the cooperating holes inthe bottom and intermediate disks may be regulated by loosening thefastening stud I9 for said plates and rotating said disks to bring theopenings thereof out of register, after which' the disks may be firmlyclamped together in th'e desired position of adiustment by againtightening said stud. The cutaway portions 32 of the bottom andintermediate disks and the upwardly offset middle portion 33 of the topdisk cut down the area of surfaces in contact and thus reduce thefriction between said plates and the tendency for the plates to stick orbind.

The downwardly haring of the upper or container section permits thematerial therein to spread out and flow downwardly and outwardly towardsthe discharge openings at the bottom and adjacent to the side walls ofsaid container without the necessity for mechanical agitation of thematerial; and the dome-shaped metal pori tion of the top plate of thevalve causes the material to slide off said dome-shaped portion in thedirection of the discharge openings, whereby substantially all of thematerial in the dispenser is discharged therefrom. The joint between theupper and lower sections is substantially waterproof and vapor proof andthe discharge open ings are always closed except when the device isoperated, thus preventing entry of water or vapor through theseopenings. The supporting bracket permits the container to be readilyfastened to the wall and adjusted both vertically and horizontallyrelative thereto.

What I claim is:

1. A dispenser for finely divided materials comprising a containerhaving a bottom provided with a plurality of discharge openings and arotary plate located above said bottom having means for selectivelyopening and closing the discharge openings in the plate, a substantiallyvertical axis for said plate, said container having downwardly divergingside walls and said discharge openings being located adjacent to saidside walls whereby the material in the dispenser readily falls away fromsaid walls onto the rotary plate, said rotary closure plate having theportion thereof located inwardly of said discharge openings offsetupwardly to direct the said material toward the openings.

` 2. A dispenser comprising a base section and a 7 downwardly openingcontainer section resting thereon and detachably secured thereto, and adispensing mechanism comprising a disk non-ro-Y tatably supported insaid base section and having a series of circumferentially spaceddischarge openings therein, a rotary disk mounted on said fixed disk andprovided with a plurality of circurnferentially spaced openings adapted,to be brought into register with said discharge openings, and meanssupported on the dispenser independently of the disks accessible fromthe exterior of said dispenser for manually rotating said rotary disk,said disks being adapted to be inserted in and removed from saiddispenser as a complete preassembled unit without disturbing said diskrotating means.

3. A dispenser comprising a base section, a downwardly opening containersection resting thereon, and a dispensing mechanism comprising a disknon-rotatably supported in said base section and having a series ofcircumferentially spaced discharge openings therein, a rotary diskmounted on said xed disk and provided with a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced openings adapted to be brought into registerwith said discharge openings, a shaft journaled in said base sectionbelow said disks and having one end disposed exteriorly of said basesection, a pin fixed to said shaft and having a working iit in anopening provided therefor in said rotary disk, and a coil torsion springsleeved on said shaft with one end anchored thereto and with the otherend anchored to said base section for yieldably holding said rotary diskin a position with the openings therein out of register with saiddischarge openings.

4. A dispenser comprising a base section, a downwardly opening containersection resting thereon, and a dispensing mechanism comprising a disknon-rotatably supported in said base section and having a series ofcircumferentially spaced discharge openings therein, a rotary diskmounted on said fixed disk and provided with a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced openings adapted to be brought into registerwith said discharge openings, a shaft journaled in said b-ase sectionbelow said disks and having one end disposed exteriorly of said basesection, a pin xed to said shaft and having a working t in an openingprovided therefor in said rotary disk, and a coil torsion spring sleevedon said shaft with one end anchored thereto and with the other endanchored to said base section for yieldably holding said rotary disk ina position with the openings therein out of register with said dischargeopenings, said fixed disk having an elongated slot therein through whichsaid pin extends, whereby said pin is adapted to abut against the endsof said slot and thus limit the rotary movement of said rotary disk inboth directions.

5. A dispenser comprising a container and a bottom member therefor, saidbottom member comprising a disk nonrotatably mounted in said containerand having openings therethrough and a disk rotatably secured to saidnonrotatable disk and having openings therethrough adapted to be broughtinto register with the openings in said nonrotatable disk, and meanssupported on the dispenser independently of the disks for manuallyrotating said rotary disk, said disks being adapted to be inserted inand removed from said dispenser as a complete preassembled unit, andmeans releasably to hold said disks as said unit in the dispenser.

6. A dispenser comprising a container and a dispensing mechanismcomprising a disk nonrotatably supported in said container and havingopenings therethrough, a disk rotatably secured to said nonrotatabledisk and having openings therethrough adapted to be brought intoregister with the openings in said nonrotatable disk, a disk disposedintermediate between said rotary and nonrotatable disks and havingopenings adapted to communicate with openings in said rotary andnonrotatable disks, said intermediate disk being adapted for rotaryadjustment relative to said rotary and nonrotatable disks, means forlocking said intermediate disk to one of said rotary and nonrotatabledisks in the desired position of rotary adjustment, and means supportedon the dispenser independently of the disks, accessible from theexterior of the dispenser for manually rotating said rotary disk, saiddisks being all secured together for insertion in and removal from saiddispenser as a complete preassembled unit.

7. In a dispensing device adapted for use with finely divided materialssubject to cohesion, and the like, a container having downwardlydiverging side walls, and a bottom Wall, discharge passage means throughthe bottom wall, a movable member above the bottom wall adapted to openand to close the discharge passage means at will, means to operate themovable member to closing and opening positions, said member receivingon it material disposed in the container and being adapted to agitatethe material by bodily displacing said material and breaking anyadhesion to the diverging walls upon being moved to open or closedposition, and `said movable member having its upper surface shaped todirect the material toward the discharge passage means.

8. In a dispenser, a container., a pair of disks in the container forcontrolling egress of material therefrom, the first of said disks beingnonrotatably mounted in the container, and having discharge passagemeans therethrough, the second disk being rotatably secured to the firstdisk and having openings adapted to be brought into register with theopenings in the nonrotatable disk, means operable from outside thecontainer for rotating the second disc, means connecting said rotatingmeans to one of said disks by a slip connection for quick removal, ofthe disk from the operating means and means mounting the two disks inthe container for removal together as a preassembled unit.

9. In a dispenser for nely divided material, a container havingdownwardly divergent walls,

a bottom for said container, an opening in the bott-om, valve means insaid bottom, adapted to comprise at least a portion of the bottom and tooccupy one position to prevent egress of material and to be moved toanother position to cause discharge of material, said bottom extendingacross said container at the lower portion of said downwardly divergentwalls, and means to displace said valve means to shift it from its oneposition to its other, to operate the valve means and effect dischargeof material, said displacing action shifting the mass of material abovethe valve and causing it to break any adherence to said diverging walls.

GEORGE H. PACKWOOD, JR.

